Which Teaching Techniques Really Work? Timeless TEFL Methods and Ideas – S01E35

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore the “evergreen” side of teaching and learning English: the problems, principles and techniques that keep appearing year after year.Drawing on 40+ years of combined English-teaching experience, Gav and Em discuss recurring classroom challenges such as late students and common grammar mistakes, alongside teaching techniques that remain useful regardless of new technology or trends.They look at why repetition, practice and plenty of examples continue to matter; how familiar topics such as hobbies, family, music, films, sleep and seasonal celebrations can generate useful conversation; and how teachers can reuse reliable themes without simply repeating the same lesson every year.Gav demonstrates a simple activity he uses when learners repeatedly make third-person -s mistakes, using examples such as people like, everybody likes and Gavin likes to help students notice the grammatical pattern.They also ask whether testing will always be part of English education, whether being able to communicate successfully may sometimes be a better measure of progress than a traditional test, and whether online teaching has now become a permanent part of the profession.For learners, the final message is refreshingly simple: revise what you learn, practise it repeatedly and use your English in speaking and writing.A relaxed conversation about what changes in ELT — and what probably never will.☕ Support How to English TEFL Podcast:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Free TEFL articles, practical classroom ideas and teaching resources:https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/Pop Idol winner Will Young:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5xLMNbN9V8Evergreen topics for students:https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-discussion-topics-for-adults/Non-standardized tests in Scandinavian schools:https://bigthink.com/mike-colagrossi/no-standardized-tests-no-private-schools-no-stress-10-reasons-why-finlands-education-system-in-the-best-in-the-worldContents & Chapters00:00 Welcome to How to English with Gav & Em00:45 What does “evergreen” mean in English teaching?02:40 Can technology keep English lessons fresh?04:00 Evergreen classroom problems that never disappear05:30 Learning online: too much information and too many choices08:00 When should you stop using a learning resource that isn't working?10:50 Evergreen lessons: holidays, festivals and seasonal topics14:35 Conversation topics that learners can always talk about16:35 Which English-teaching techniques never go out of date?17:55 Repetition, examples and recurring grammar mistakes18:00 Will English-language testing always exist?20:55 The evergreen principles behind Em's lessons21:20 Is online English teaching now here to stay?22:55 Should online lessons cost the same as face-to-face lessons?24:50 Evergreen advice for English learners25:40 End